Thursday, August 12, 2010

10 Ways to Conquer Your Procrastination

10 Ways to Conquer Your Procrastination

Put aside your big project for just a moment longer to read this article.
By Marty Nemko, Contributing Columnist, Kiplinger.com
October 2009

Aren't you sick of hearing, "But you have so much potential”?
I don’t know about you, but I believe my life's worth is defined by what I've produced. Every time you forgo productivity in favor of TV, golf or gardening, aren't you wasting life’s most precious resource—time? The following ways to reduce procrastination have often worked for my clients. I hope you'll find at least one worth trying.

Set a big goal. Goethe said, “Dream no small dreams for they have no power to move the hearts of men.” So what’s the most exciting goal you might achieve if you put your mind to it? Even if you’re unsure you could do it, might partial achievement or simply enjoying the process be good enough? Most people don’t have the intellectual firepower to make a big contribution, but you’re a Kiplinger reader. You do.
Picture the benefits of achieving your goal. Money? Fame? Self-esteem? A more meaningful life? Getting your spouse off your back?
Recognize that success lies mainly within you. Stop believing such nonsense as "The world is abundant. It will provide" or "It's in the hands of fate." Yes, luck matters, but success is mainly in your hands, although it sometimes requires the help of others you trust.
Recruit a partner. Compensate for your lack of drive by adding some firepower to your project as necessary.
Be aware of the “moment of truth.” That's when you decide, usually subconsciously, whether you should work or play. By making that choice consciously, you’ll more often choose the productive activity.
Start big projects NOW. It's tough to determine, in advance, how long a big project will take. So waiting until the last minute greatly increases the risk you'll do a bad job. Make this rule inviolate: I will start a big project as soon as it is assigned to me.
How do you get motivated to stick with that rule? Remind yourself that if you start right away, the project will be more fun:
• You'll avoid the stress of trying to get it done well at the last minute.
• You'll have time to play with the parts you like to do—for example, toying with words or illustrating.
• If you're done early, you'll have a chunk of free time that you can enjoy without the project hanging over your head.
• You'll likely have done a better job, which will yield more praise and make you proud of yourself.
Use the mantra "Make it fun; more will get done." Constantly ask yourself, "What's the fun way to do this task?”
Take the “one-minute struggle” test. If you haven’t made progress within a minute, additional struggling probably won't help. It merely will make you procrastinate more in the future as you recall the pain you experienced in doing previous tasks. After the one-minute mark, get help or try to figure out a way to do the project without the hard part.
Avoid perfectionism, especially on first drafts. Just get it on paper. It's far easier to revise your way to perfection than to generate it out of thin air.
Embrace discipline. Intelligence and discipline are the biggest factors distinguishing successful people from unsuccessful people. What does discipline mean? A few examples:
• Be willing to stay focused on a task, taking breaks only when necessary, until the task or a component of it is complete.
• Be willing to fight past the discomfort of not knowing: Struggle to master something, be willing to expose your deficiencies by asking a co-worker a question, or hire a tutor or mentor to accelerate your learning.
• Work longer hours. We tend to repress the obvious truth that the longer you work at your profession or avocation, the better you'll get.
Now stop reading Kiplinger and do something productive. All right, five more minutes with Kiplinger.
________________________________________
Marty Nemko is a contributing columnist for Kiplinger and has been named “The Bay Area’s Best Career Coach” by the San Francisco Bay Guardian. Find more than 500 of his other published writings free at www.martynemko.com.

Best Values in Private Colleges

Best Values in Private Colleges
Our top 100 schools deliver an affordable, high-quality education and keep the financial aid flowing.

By Jane Bennett Clark, Senior Associate Editor
From Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine, December 2009

A year ago, private colleges were struggling to navigate rough economic waters. Then they headed into the hurricane. Endowments plunged along with the stock market. Families whose savings had sunk or whose home equity had disappeared began rethinking plans to send their kids to private schools.
Students who did apply to private institutions, or who hoped to return, asked for financial aid in greater numbers and requested larger amounts. With resources tight for both parents and colleges, says Barmak Nassirian, of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, “it was a very scary time all around.”
But here’s the surprise: In many cases, students who applied to college for the 2009-10 academic year actually received more financial help than the previous year’s applicants. Independent colleges boosted financial aid by 9% while keeping tuition increases -- an average of 4.3% -- to their lowest levels in four decades (increasing the average cost of a year at a private school to about $35,600). Some schools, worried about competition from public schools, accepted more applicants. And many vigorously pruned expenses. Result? Families found that private college was still affordable, and enrollments generally held steady. Says David Warren, president of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities: “What we’re seeing is a well-weathered storm.”
To find schools that have weathered the storm especially well, look to Kiplinger’s 100 best values in private colleges and universities for 2009-10. These institutions, led by Pomona College among liberal-arts colleges and the California Institute of Technology among universities, provide a top-quality education at an affordable price -- usually because of generous financial aid.
Think you earn too much to qualify for financial aid? You might be pleasantly surprised. In recent years, most top-tier colleges and universities have extended financial aid almost exclusively to students with need. A few of the top 20 institutions in our rankings, however, bestow merit money to a significant percentage of students. Davidson (read more about it), Whitman and Grinnell on the liberal-arts side, and Rice, Stanford, Emory, Vanderbilt and the University of Richmond on the list of universities, offer scholarships to at least 20% of their undergraduates. Grinnell awards aid to an impressive 61%.
Delivering real value
Kiplinger’s definition of value starts with academic quality. Each year, we choose schools that are competitive enough to attract bright students and strong enough to keep them. Unlike other rankings, our rankings use numeric, not subjective, measures to determine quality. (For more on how we crunch the numbers, see How We Rank the Schools.)
True to our personal-finance focus, we also look at costs, including the price of attending the institution and its generosity when it comes to financial aid. Strange as it may seem to call a school that charges, say, $50,000 a year a good value, many of our top-ranked institutions give enough aid -- often in the form of grants -- to bring the average price to as little as half or less of the sticker price. Because liberal-arts colleges concentrate on undergraduates and universities extend their mission to graduate students, we separate our top 100 into two lists, but we apply the same academic and financial criteria to both categories.
This year’s top 100 private colleges and universities met the challenges of a slumping economy with brio, delivering quality, generous financial aid and, in a few cases, sticker prices that are almost as low as out-of-state tuition at some public institutions. Caltech, in Pasadena, which heads the list of private universities for the fourth time running, and Pomona, in Claremont, Cal., which leads the liberal-arts list for the second consecutive year, may be the past and current crown jewels, but gems appear throughout our rankings.
On the liberal-arts side, Swarthmore, outside of Philadelphia, edges out Williams, in Williamstown, Mass., for the number-two spot, in part because of the significant merit aid it awards to a few students. Both schools attract outstanding students and offer enough need-based aid to make them affordable to families with limited resources.
Princeton, Harvard and Yale, on the universities side, also offer ample need-based aid and have stretched the definition of need to include families with higher incomes. At Yale, where total costs run $48,450 per year, families pay an average of 10% of their income.
Some schools in our rankings simply offer a good education at a good price. Wheaton, Wofford, College of St. Benedict, Hillsdale, Knox and Thomas Aquinas, on the liberal-arts list, manage to keep total costs below $40,000. On the universities side, Elon, Creighton, Whitworth, Bradley, the University of Tulsa and Gonzaga also have sticker prices under $40,000. College of St. Benedict, in St. Joseph, Minn., and Bradley University, in Peoria, Ill., are both new to the top 100.
Cutting costs, not quality
Like many schools, Pomona has coped with reduced endowment revenue (down 22% from June 2008 to June 2009) and greater financial need by cutting expenses on everything except academics. The college froze salaries across the board, offered voluntary retirement packages to nonacademic employees and cut back on nonessentials, such as catering for administration events. As a member of the five-college Claremont consortium, Pomona is able to save money by sharing resources, including professors, across campuses.
Despite all these cutbacks, Pomona provides its students with a top-quality education in a setting that snowbound Ivy Leaguers can only dream of. This small school, with some 1,500 students, faces the stunning San Gabriel Mountains and basks in the Southern California sun. Almost all of its freshmen return for sophomore year, a sure sign of happy campers, and 90% of its seniors graduate on time, sparing their parents the expense of a fifth year. As for financial aid, if you need it, you get it. The average financial-aid package brings the $50,568 sticker price down to a modest $16,454.
About 25 miles west of Pomona College, students at Caltech enjoy an equally sun-saturated setting, along with the ultimate in academic nurturing: a student-faculty ratio of three to one, the lowest ratio on either list. Here, 100% of incoming freshmen score more than 700 on the math section of the SAT. Thanks to small classes and a compact campus, these left-brainers have plenty of opportunity to soak up each other’s smarts as well as the wisdom of an elite faculty that includes five Nobel-prize winners.
But it doesn’t take a math whiz to figure out that Caltech provides a great deal as well as great academics. It charges a relatively low sticker price of $46,629, and it knocks more than half off, on average, for students who qualify for need-based aid. It also offers merit scholarships, although those awards are being phased out, says Caltech president Jean-Lou Chameau. Students graduate with an average debt of $9,871, the second-lowest on our universities list. (Princeton leads in that category: Its students walk away with an average debt of less than $6,000.)
Caltech’s endowment did not emerge from the recession unscathed, but the hit could have been worse: It lost about 20% over the 12 months that ended in September, compared with Harvard’s 27.3% haircut and Yale’s 24.6% drop (as of June 30). The school responded to the downturn by cutting administrative costs and postponing long-term projects, but it continued to hire faculty and maintain financial aid. Last spring, applicants enthusiastically responded to Caltech’s efforts, accepting admission in record numbers. Chameau says the school has no problem squeezing in a few more students. “We will accommodate them, and they will be happy here.”
A mixed outlook
How will next year’s college applicants fare? Prospects are mixed. Tuition increases should remain in the 4.3% range, says Warren, making the average annual total cost of a private-college education a little more than $37,000 in 2010Ð11. That’s a smaller bump than the 6% increase of recent years. But the amount itself is hardly peanuts, especially compared with the $14,500 average total cost at a public school. Many private colleges already charge more than $50,000 per year.
Meanwhile, colleges that had recently expanded their financial aid, including replacing loans with grants, must now do so with vastly diminished endowments -- the well from which much of the aid is drawn. So far, top-tier schools have stood by their commitment. But some schools are quietly adjusting their admissions policies to weed out more-needy students, says David Oxtoby, president of Pomona. He hopes to continue Pomona’s no-loan policy, introduced in 2007, but won’t guarantee it. “We can’t commit to never pulling back.”

Best Values in Public Colleges 2009-10

Best Values in Public Colleges 2009-10
Jane Bennett Clark
Thursday, January 21, 2010

Despite widespread budget cuts, these schools still deliver strong academics at affordable prices.
The economy may be recovering, but the effects of the recession continue to buffet the nation's public colleges and universities. State governments, coping with shrunken tax revenues and an overwhelming demand for services, have cut funding for higher education. Universities that once relied on the income from fat endowments have yet to recoup multimillion-dollar losses to their portfolios. Families continue to apply for financial aid in record numbers. Meanwhile, enrollment at state institutions has spiked as more students go public and more people overall seek college degrees.
The schools in our top 100 best values in public colleges and universities -- led by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for overall value and by Binghamton University (SUNY) for out-of-state value -- continue to deliver strong academics at reasonable prices, in many cases by offering the same or more financial aid as in previous years. But no one can say that it has been easy.
To cope with less money and more students, public institutions, including many in our rankings, have slashed operating costs and raised tuition beyond the average increase of about five percentage points over inflation in recent years. The University of California system, caught in the downdraft of a state budget meltdown, imposed a midyear tuition hike of 15 percent, to be followed by another 15 percent increase in the summer, precipitating statewide protests. (Our rankings reflect tuition and fees, including midyear increases, as of December 1, 2009.)
With neither state nor college budgets able to turn on a dime, the immediate future for public higher education looks "difficult, challenging and messy," says Daniel Hurley, of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. Your student could end up in bigger classes with more part-time instructors -- or worse yet, get shut out of a public college altogether as states limit enrollment to control costs.
In the best-case scenario, however, colleges will find more and better ways to preserve quality and eliminate fat, perhaps ultimately reducing the size or frequency of tuition increases. Some universities, including UNC-Chapel Hill and the University of Maryland at College Park (number 8 in our rankings), are already doing just that. "There's no reason we can't conduct nonacademic functions as efficiently as possible," says UNC chancellor Holden Thorp.
Last year, Thorp hired consultants Bain & Co. to help streamline operations, enabling the university to pare 10 percent in administrative expenses in anticipation of a state reduction in funding. "We insisted that the cuts be as far away from the classroom as we could get them," says Thorp. In Maryland, the university system struck a bargain with state leaders in which school administrators pledged to cut costs in exchange for a steady flow of state funding. Result? In-state students enjoyed a tuition freeze for four consecutive years.
Weighing Quality and Cost
Our definition of value begins with academics: No school is a bargain if it skimps on quality. All of the schools in our rankings perform well on measurable criteria, such as student-faculty ratios, academic competitiveness and on-time graduation rates.
The schools on our list also deliver an affordable education, our other measure of value, by keeping the sticker price low, offering plenty of financial aid or both. Of the colleges in our rankings, 39 charge about the same or less than the average annual in-state sticker price ($15,213) for four-year public institutions, and many come in well below that amount. Those prices look especially attractive compared with the average cost of a private-school education, which this year hit an average total of $35,636, according to the College Board.
You can also find bargains in our rankings for out-of-state students, who typically pay at least twice the price to attend someone else's home-state school. For example, Binghamton charges $26,075 a year to students who are not New York residents -- only one-third more than the in-state price. The school's large number of international students and its dual-degree programs with universities in Mexico, Russia and Turkey give the term out of state new meaning; but Binghamton's strong academics and affordable price attract interest from students across the U.S. as well. Says President Lois DeFleur, "With so many applications, we've become more selective. We're taking the best."
As for financial aid, the colleges on our list have managed to dig deep and dole out sufficient money to keep students coming. At UNC-Chapel Hill, an academic superstar that competes with the Ivies, the annual in-state cost for students with financial need comes to a dirt-cheap $5,912. The University of Virginia, another public Ivy (and number 3 on our list), and the New College of Florida (number 12), a tiny public honors school, charge students with need an average of less than $5,000.
Unlike many top-tier private universities, some of the high-ranked institutions on our list also offer non-need-based aid to encourage top achievers to enroll in-state. "One of our responsibilities as a land-grant institution is to keep the best and the brightest," says Sarah Bauder, director of the office of student financial aid at the University of Maryland. UNC-Chapel Hill, which offers need-based and merit aid to both residents and nonresidents, uses 25 percent of the revenue from logo-bearing T-shirts and sports memorabilia to stoke its merit-scholarship fund. Tar Heel fans keep the money rolling in, says Shirley Ort, associate provost and director of scholarships and student aid. "Luckily for us, we won a basketball championship in 2009."
UNC -- Still the One
Chapel Hill, a consistent winner of Kiplinger's top honors, maintains its lofty spot in our tables in part for its ability to attract and keep highflying students. Three-fourths or more of its incoming freshmen scored higher than 600 on both the verbal and math portions of their SATs, and almost all -- 96.5 percent -- stay on after freshman year. This year, Chapel Hill fielded more than 23,000 applications and admitted about 7,400, giving it a competitive 32 percent admission rate. Almost 20 percent of the admitted students were the first in their families to attend college.
Besides boasting top students, an outstanding faculty and a historic campus, Chapel Hill enjoys one big advantage over many other public schools: strong state support for financial aid. "Our aid money from the state has grown significantly over the past few years," says Ort. Although funding was trimmed a bit in the current academic year, she says, "we were still in an improved spot over the previous year." That support has enabled UNC to protect its financial-aid budget and to maintain its policy of minimizing or eliminating loans from the financial-aid packages for families with need.
Still, financial-aid applications at Chapel Hill jumped 17 percent this year over last year's number, which rose 13 percent over the previous year. Despite the demand, UNC plans to meet the need of every student who walks through its doors, says Thorp. "We're not going to back away from our traditions in financial aid."
Best Values in Public Colleges 2009-10


1. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Undergraduate Enrollment: 17,895
SAT: 75 percent scored 600 or higher on verbal/math; ACT: 82 percent scored 24 or higher
Student/Faculty Ratio: 14
Graduation Rate 4-yr./6-yr.: 75 percent/88 percent
Total In-State Cost: $15,296
Total Out-of-State Cost: $33,184
Average Debt at Graduation: $14,936
Chapel Hill, a consistent winner of Kiplinger's top honors, maintains its lofty spot in part for its ability to attract and keep highflying students. This year, it fielded more than 23,000 applications and admitted about 7,400, giving it a competitive 32 percent admission rate.


2. University of Florida
Undergraduate Enrollment: 34,654
SAT: 65 percent; ACT: 73 percent
Student/Faculty Ratio: 20
Graduation Rate 4-yr./6-yr.: 54 percent/81 percent
Total In-State Cost: $12,863
Total Out-of-State Cost: $32,234
Average Debt at Graduation: $15,318
Low annual in-state costs and diverse academic programs are just a few reasons why this school ranks in the top of our list. On campus, students can find cutting-edge research facilities, ten libraries and Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (pictured right), home of the Florida Gators.


3. University of Virginia
Undergraduate Enrollment: 15,208
SAT: 78 percent; ACT: 83 percent
Student/Faculty Ratio: 15
Graduation Rate 4-yr./6-yr.: 85 percent/93 percent
Total In-State Cost: $19,312
Total Out-of-State Cost: $41,312
Average Debt at Graduation: $19,016
Considered a public Ivy League school, the University of Virginia doesn't come with a top-tier price tag for in-state students with financial need. It charges them, on average, less than $5,000.


4. College of William and Mary (Va.)
Undergraduate Enrollment: 5,850
SAT: 84 percent; ACT: 83 percent
Student/Faculty Ratio: 11
Graduation Rate 4-yr./6-yr.: 84 percent/92 percent
Total In-State Cost: $20,566
Total Out-of-State Cost: $40,358
Average Debt at Graduation: $12,859
This public school, which is the second oldest college in the U.S., looks and feels like an elite Ivy League institution. It has one of the lowest student-faculty ratios on our list and one the highest percentages of students who scored 600 or higher on the verbal and math SATs.


5. Binghamton University (SUNY)
Undergraduate Enrollment: 11,821
SAT: 66 percent; ACT: 83 percent
Student/Faculty Ratio: 20
Graduation Rate 4-yr./6-yr.: 69 percent/80 percent
Total In-State Cost: $18,175
Total Out-of-State Cost: $26,075
Average Debt at Graduation: $14,541
Binghamton charges $26,075 a year to students who are not New York residents -- only one-third more than the in-state price. The school's large number of international students and its dual-degree programs with universities in Mexico, Russia and Turkey give the term out of state new meaning; but Binghamton's strong academics and affordable price attract interest from students across the U.S. as well.


6. University of Georgia
Undergraduate Enrollment: 25,467
SAT: 58 percent; ACT: 62 percent
Student/Faculty Ratio: 18
Graduation Rate 4-yr./6-yr.: 51 percent/80 percent
Total In-State Cost: $16,636
Total Out-of-State Cost: $34,846
Average Debt at Graduation: $14,343
Most in-state students qualify for the merit-based HOPE scholarship, which covers tuition and mandatory fees -- making the school a great value for Georgia residents. University of Georgia is the nation's first state-chartered university, and recently it opened the world's first stand-alone academic school devoted specifically to the study of ecology. It also is home to Georgia's State Botanical Garden, State Museum of Art and State Museum of Natural History.


7. University of Washington
Undergraduate Enrollment: 29,397
SAT: 48 percent; ACT: 63 percent
Student/Faculty Ratio: 11
Graduation Rate 4-yr./6-yr.: 51 percent/77 percent
Total In-State Cost: $17,676
Total Out-of-State Cost: $34,351
Average Debt at Graduation: $16,800
One of the oldest public universities on the West Coast, this top research institution draws strong students from around the world to its Seattle-based campus, where the 11 to 1 student-faculty ratio gives them plenty of access to professors who include Nobel Prize winners and MacArthur Foundation award recipients.


8. University of Maryland, College Park
Undergraduate Enrollment: 26,431
SAT: 66 percent; ACT: 76 percent
Student/Faculty Ratio: 18
Graduation Rate 4-yr./6-yr.: 63 percent/82 percent
Total In-State Cost: $18,455
Total Out-of-State Cost: $34,392
Average Debt at Graduation: $20,091
University of Maryland, known for its engineering, journalism and computer-science programs, has risen to our top ten by keeping in-state costs virtually unchanged while improving on quality, especially in its graduation rates. Maryland also provides need-based financial aid to 50 percent of its students.


9. SUNY Geneseo
Undergraduate Enrollment: 5,451
SAT: 80 percent; ACT: 87 percent
Student/Faculty Ratio: 19
Graduation Rate 4-yr./6-yr.: 58 percent/78 percent
Total In-State Cost: $17,176
Total Out-of-State Cost: $25,076
Average Debt at Graduation: $18,700
Like the other State University of New York school on our list (Binghamton), SUNY Geneseo is a bargain for out-of-state students. Out-of-state costs are about $7,000 higher than in-state costs. Many public schools charge non-residents double the amount residents pay.


10. North Carolina State University
Undergraduate Enrollment: 24,741
SAT: 36 percent; ACT: 56 percent
Student/Faculty Ratio: 16
Graduation Rate 4-yr./6-yr.: 37 percent/70 percent
Total In-State Cost: $14,390
Total Out-of-State Cost: $26,875
Average Debt at Graduation: $14,996
This large university comprises ten colleges in disciplines including textiles, design, agriculture and veterinary medicine. At $14,390, its annual in-state costs are below the average ($15,213) for four-year public institutions and second-lowest in our top ten, after the University of Florida. NC State's relatively low out-of-state sticker price, $26,875, makes it number 9 for out-of-state value.
Click here to see the full list of Best Values in Public Colleges 2009-10

Please trust me

Saturday December 12, 2009
Please trust me
Science of Building Leaders by ROSHAN THIRAN

Effective leaders build trust across their organisations.
A FEW months ago, Audrey, our youth camp leader, was faced with a dilemma. A campsite vendor had under-charged her for a recent camp. At the same time, she was under tremendous pressure to make ends meet for the camp.
What did she do? She informed the vendor of the mistake. The vendor was pleasantly surprised and soon a strong bond of trust developed. I was extremely proud of Audrey’s action as she’s a great role model for our kids. With this small act, trust was enabled, resulting in lower prices and flexible arrangements at future camps.
Trust relationships are vital to the success of business. Trust is under-rated in most businesses and taken for granted by many. We follow leaders because we trust them and believe they will take us to greater heights. When we interview, we tend to hire people we trust. We use products only if we trust it. And the best companies in the world use trust to grow their businesses. Rock band Radiohead released its last album online, trusting fans to decide the price for the album, and generated more revenue than all its previous releases.
Research by the Institute of Business Ethics found that companies displaying a “clear commitment to ethical conduct” almost invariably outperformed companies that did not display integrity and trust. Its director, Philippa Black, concludes that trust and integrity has been proven to pay off in financial returns for companies.
Trust is essential to building enduring connections with employees, suppliers, customers, and the communities in which we do business.
A recent study showed that trust is significantly related to sales, profits, and turnover and is a source of competitive advantage. The study also concluded that “the ability of a general manager to earn higher trust from his or her employees likely creates a competitive advantage for a firm over its rivals”.
We see numerous examples of how trust drives productivity. Years ago, Ford, who had more than 500 employees working in their accounts payable department decided to benchmark against Mazda, another car manufacturer.
To their surprise, Ford found that Mazda had only five employees in payables. Yes, you read that right – FIVE. Ford had 500 vs Mazda’s five. How did Mazda do it? The answer – you guessed it – is TRUST!
In Ford, the account payables folks had to match the purchase order, receiving reports and supplier invoices. If there was a mismatch, there was significant rework. In Mazda, there was no paperwork at all. Mazda trusted its suppliers and did not bother processing invoices. When goods arrived from suppliers, Mazda built their cars. Once a car was built, they automatically transferred funds to the suppliers. Mazda had no invoicing or processing, but paid with trust, saving significant costs.
Trust is a key element in business, as it is in relationships and politics. In fact, trust actually lowers the risk of malpractice among US doctors. Malcolm Gladwell, in his book Blink, uncovers that “the risk of being sued for malpractice has very little to do with how many mistakes a doctor makes. Analyses of malpractice lawsuits show that there are highly skilled doctors who get sued a lot and doctors who make lots of mistakes and never get sued.”
Apparently, people only sue doctors they don’t like or trust. They don’t sue doctors with errors whom they trust or like. In fact, in some hospitals today, doctors are encouraged to apologise when they make mistakes, trusting patients to forgive them. And statistics have shown that in such hospitals, malpractice suits have dwindled.
On the flip side, lack of trust destroys entire industries as the world’s recent financial markets collapse attest. Credit stopped flowing due to trust issues. Big banks refused to lend to each other because they didn’t trust each other’s ability to repay.
Trust is like a vase; once it is broken, even if you fix it, the vase will never be the same again.
So, even if you have the best products in the world, if you lose trust in your service or product, you will soon not have a business. Numerous companies try to create trust by PR stunts and building corporate social responsibility arms, but fail to understand that trust is not an event-based action. It takes years to build up trust, and seconds to destroy it.
If trust is so important, what precisely is trust? How can it be achieved and sustained?
According to Dr Duane Tway, “We all think we know what trust is from our own experience, but we don’t know much about how to improve it. Why? I believe it is because we have been taught to look at trust as if it were a single entity.”
Dr Tway is right. Trust is not a single act. Aristotle, the great philosopher best described trust in his Rhetoric. He suggested that trust, which he called Ethos (the trust of a speaker to a listener), had three parts. First was the intelligence of the speaker (correctness of opinions, or competence), secondly the character of the speaker (reliability, integrity), and finally, the goodwill of the speaker (favourable intentions towards the listener).
In layman’s term, leaders and managers today need to build trust by the integrity of their competence, the integrity of their character and finally their sincerity towards their employees.
In other words, a leader cannot fake town halls meetings and occasional roundtables with employees and expect them to trust his or her leadership. Trust has to be earned. Having a title doesn’t guarantee you the trust of your subordinates. Trust is built on a daily basis. It is the employees’ perceptions of your ability, honesty, and sincerity.
But how do we begin this process of building trust? I personally believe the best way to build trust is to extend it to others. I know a Ramly burger stall owner who decided to allow his customers take their own change from coins he left out on the counter. He was able to serve them faster, but more importantly, his customers hardly cheated him because they felt honoured to be trusted by him. Trust begets trust.
Netflix, the world’s top DVD rental company, trusts its employees to take whatever vacation they feel they need. Many companies trust their employees to have “flexi” working hours, and research has shown that in most cases these employees work longer hours than those that do not adopt “flexi” hours.
Finally, trust begins when a leader role models the qualities of trust and filters it down throughout the company. This drives others to follow suit and soon a culture of trust emanates across the entire organisation. Trust is a powerful tool as it forms the foundation for effective communication, employee retention, motivation, and contribution of discretionary energy – the extra effort that people voluntarily invest in work.
Yes, you can still get things done without trust when you are the boss by ordering people to do things. But you run the risk of getting the salute and not the heart, gaining compliance and not the commitment. Trust has to be earned. And when you get it, the rewards that come from it, makes you a leader on a different platform. As George McDonald puts it, “to be trusted is a greater compliment than to be loved”.
•Roshan Thiran is CEO of Leaderonomics, a social enterprise passionate about transforming the nation. Join the Leaderonomics journey via Facebook, Twitter or by logging on to www.leaderonomics.com. And if you have just completed your SPM, sign up for the Diode School Leaver’s camp at www.diodecamp.com.

Business ethics in board decisions

Friday January 22, 2010
Business ethics in board decisions
Whose Business Is It Anyway - By John Zenkin

THE concept of business ethics recognises that people in a company can relate to more than just profit maximisation when making decisions, even if it is not very clear how they should behave.
This lack of clarity comes from the fact that each person, let alone each culture, has their own unique way of combining the individual virtues that make up ethical behaviour.
Thus there may be many ways of being ethical and sometimes boards need to combine them to get to good and right decisions.
These different types can be grouped into five systems of ethical behaviour: Machiavellian, Utilitarian, Kantian rules-based, Rousseau’s social contract, and finally “Personalistic” ethics.
l Machiavellian ethics
These are pragmatic, weighing probable consequences and the likelihood of achieving given outcomes, often regardless of how the ends have been achieved. People practising this type of ethics will argue that the ends justify the means.
The merit of this system is that at least any decision being taken can be assessed in terms of whether it will achieve the desired ends; and if it fails this basic test, then it should not be taken.
However, there are two problems with this approach. First, it does not recognise that organisations need codes of conduct and rules to help people to make predictable and consistent decisions.
Second, it can lead to a failure of “Tone at the Top” with people encouraged to “do whatever it takes” – the kind of thinking that contributed to the recent failures of governance in Wall Street that have hurt us all so badly.
•Utilitarian Ethics
These are a more moral extension of Machiavellian ethics, where the outcomes are weighed up by calculating how to “achieve the greatest good for the greatest number” for both the company and its customers. Principles are important only as rules of thumb.
The problem with this type of approach is that it encourages the tyranny of the majority and can lead to ignoring the needs of minorities and so be used to justify persecuting minority shareholders, which is poor governance.
•Kantian rules-based ethics
Rules-based ethics (associated with the German philosopher Immanuel Kant) go one step further in that they also consider the effect actions have on the rules of the organisation and whether they adhere to given principles.
This approach tends to be bureaucratic and perhaps overly legalistic, sometimes with a rigid adherence to the rules without due regard for particular circumstances that may justify exceptions.
Of course, the problem is that if there are too many exceptions or waivers, the rules themselves and the system they represent are discredited; outcomes become unpredictable; and corruption and free riding are encouraged.
•Rousseau’s social contract ethics
Social contract ethics recognise the need for mutuality and reciprocity if companies are to flourish: both within the organisation itself, where “Do unto others as you would be done by” is as good a rule as any for behaviour, and between the company and the community it serves.
They also recognise that no company is an island and it must therefore behave responsibly towards the community, minimising the external costs the company creates, lest it create a “tragedy of the commons” with its associated risk of systemic failure.
The problem with this type of approach is when it leads to the kind of loyalist, tribal thinking within a profession so that bad practices are covered up and justified in the name of loyalty to the group (a favourite topic of films with rogue cops who are protected from Internal Affairs for example).
•Personalistic ethics
Personalistic ethics reflect what an individual feels about the decisions being taken. As such they often share the following three characteristics:
First, they are driven by the individual’s personal sense of virtue and how the decision will reflect on the person’s character and sense of self-worth;
Second, they may be based on empathy where the decision maker puts himself/herself in the shoes of the other person when deciding what to do;
Third, they may be based on intuition driven by conscience – asking the question “will I be able to sleep at nights” when making a decision.
Obviously it is important that board members must be personally comfortable with the decisions they are involved with.
The problem is that often people who decide on Personalistic ethical grounds become impatient with other people calculating what to do using either a rules-based or utilitarian approach, and may be uncomfortable with Machiavellian thinking.
To cover these five ethical approaches, boards should ask the following questions:
1. Will it achieve the desired outcome?
2. Will it be for the greatest good?
3. Will it respect the rules?
4. Will it be responsible?
5. Will we be able to sleep at night?
If the answer to all five questions is affirmative, they will have made a right-good decision.
•The writer is CEO of Securities Industry Development Corp, the training and development arm of the Securities Commission.

STPM may be best option

Sunday January 17, 2010
STPM may be best option

TAKING the STPM (Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia) may actually be the best option before entering university, said Star-Jobs Online senior executive Joyce Lee.
Lee, who was speaking at the fair, surprised many students and parents who turned up for the Options After SPM talk.
She said: “If you have budget constrains, or have interest in environment-related courses, the STPM is actually a very good option.”
Lee told the audience that certain courses were more widely available in public universities, which require the STPM for admission.
“Private universities may have less options in certain fields, so it is important to identify what your interest is before ruling out your options too quickly.”
Lee also recommended that students take courses that offer internships, as work experience plays an important role in future employment.
Students busy taking down notes during the talk on How to Approach SPM Add Maths and Physics.
“Soft skills are also very important to an employer, so make sure you join relevant clubs or societies, and try to be an office-bearer because it shows that you have responsibilities.”
“There are no interesting resumes, only interesting people,” she added.
Other speakers were City & Guilds country director (South East Asia) Ian Oswin Noronha, who spoke on the vast opportunities available in vocational training, and Studylink senior education adviser Jerry Tan, who explained the different pre-university options.
During the session on Funding Higher Education, Malaysian-American Commission on Educational Exchange (Educational Advising Centre) coordinator Doreen John touched on the various scholarship opportunities available for the United States (US).
Sharing some tips on university applications, she said: “In the US, your academic skills are not the only ones that are important.
“We pay attention to your other skills as well, such as sports and work experience.”
“We even have a beauty pageant scholarship!” she said, to laughter from the crowd.
AusEd-UniEd group marketing and recruitment director James Kon spoke on funding for higher education in Australia.
Touching upon the various loan options for parents, Kon said: “Parents can easily get a loan of up to RM250,000, with up to five years of repayment.”
“There is also the option now to do certain Australian degrees locally, which would cost a fraction of what you would pay if you did it there.”
Meanwhile, National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) representative Zubir Che Embi assured them that there was always the option of taking the PTPTN loan.
He explained in detail the requirements for the loan, and how students could go about applying for it.
Wrapping up the session was Star Education Fund manager Susanna Kuan, who told the audience about the various scholarships available under the fund.
Kuan also reminded students to only apply for the courses they were eligible for.
At his talk, Additional Mathematics and Physics teacher Sunny Yee gave students tips and advice on how to approach the two subjects in the SPM (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia) exams effectively.
“Many students do not do well in these subjects due to a lack of understanding of application,” he said.
Students are expected to have an inquiring mind when answering maths and science questions.
“They must study the two subjects using the right study methods.
“Learn from the common mistakes you make and do as many past year questions as possible,” he said.

A new front

Sunday January 17, 2010
A new front
By RICHARD LIM

Private higher education institutions are urged to take risks and set up privately-run polytechnics.

PRIVATE universities and university colleges have been encouraged to establish their own polytechnics to offer engineering and technical programmes.
Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin extended the invitation after ministry data showed that five out of 10 students enquired about the aforementioned programmes at the ministry’s overseas expos.
As public varsities have a 5% cap on international students, private universities and university colleges were poised to benefit.
However, the same did not apply to local polytechnics as there were barely enough places for Malaysian students.
“More than 120,000 local students apply for around 30,000 places in polytechnics each year,” said Mohamed Khaled in a press conference during The Star Education Fair 2010 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.
“Private universities and university colleges must be willing to take the risk and set up polytechnics as international students are interested in these programmes.”
He added that the ministry was looking at either private universities or university colleges as they were in a better position compared to colleges which were smaller.
Students in search of study options from various institutions at the fair.
“These institutions could use their entrepreneurial and creative abilities to develop these programmes,” he continued.
“It is a unique opportunity for them to capitalise on, and the ministry is willing to facilitate any move.”
Mohamed Khaled said the Government would look into providing incentives in the budget for this purpose.
“Higher education is an industry by itself,” he added. “It is one sector which can make Malaysia a serious global player in higher education.”
According to Unesco’s Global Education Digest 2008, approximately 2% of the world’s 2.5mil international students are studying in Malaysia.
Malaysia is currently ranked as the 11th most preferred study destination behind Singapore.
The top nine are the traditional big names in education like the United States, Britain, France and Australia, among others.
Mohamed Khaled also said that the ministry was confident that its target to have 75,000 international students this year would be met.
The number of international students in Malaysia currently hovers around the 70,000 mark.
Mohamed Khaled told The Star that the ministry would be willing to consider any serious applications, as the establishment of privately-run polytechnics would boost Malaysia’s higher education standing.
He expressed his hope that private universities and university colleges would be willing to step up to the plate.
“There are two private companies that have applied to set up polytechnics so far, but they are not private higher education providers,” he confirmed.
Mohamed Khaled also threw his weight behind the education fair and thanked The Star for its long-standing commitment to higher education.
Describing the fair as instrumental in providing educational outreach, he added that students and parents would not be the only beneficiaries, as Malaysia’s many private higher education institutions stood to gain as well.
“Participating institutions stand to gain a great deal by being able to see themselves in comparison with other providers,” he said.
“This will encourage them to improve the quality of their service as well as to educate the public on the type of degrees and specialisations available in Malaysia.”
Mohamed Khaled also recognised that the fair was the biggest of its kind in Malaysia and one of the largest in Asia.
“An education expo and fund as large as this is very rare indeed and I’m happy that The Star recognises the country’s effort to be a regional education hub,” he said.
Thanking the institutions which pledged scholarships, Mohamed Khaled expressed the ministry’s hope for the fair and the Fund to continue to expand.
Also present were Star Publications (M) Bhd group managing director and chief executive officer Datin Linda Ngiam and executive director Ng Beng Lye.
In her speech, Ngiam said that The Star had always been more than just a newspaper that covers stories and events.
“We see ourselves as an integral part of the community and a responsible corporate citizen. We believe that a sound education system is central to our growth of a developed nation.
“We will continue to play our part in promoting our Prime Minister’s goal of developing a creative and innovative nation,’’ she said.
The fair, which ran for the 23rd time this year, took place in Kuala Lumpur on Jan 9 and 10.
It will also be held at the Penang International Sports Arena (Pisa) on March 6 and 7.

Follow the US style to determine petrol prices

Wednesday January 20, 2010
Follow the US style to determine petrol prices

IT is good that the public is having discussions on the GST, subsidised goods, missing foreigners, petrol pricing and the use of MyKad to assist in differentiating between the subsidised and unsubsidised petrol user.
I am a bit pessimistic with regard to most of the current inflation-related issues. I am worried about the flip-flop repercussions of any decision. We have seen government decisions made and later there is a change of mind due to public empathy.
I would like to offer a proposal on petrol pricing. I am sure many Malaysians understand the disadvantages of a subsidy mentality in the economic sense. As we are going into a high income economy, subsidising essentials must be kept to a minimum and the saved resources should be allocated to new economic spending areas, such as in R&D, biomedicine, branding, etc.
Let us take, for example, how petrol prices are charged at the pump in the United States. In states that are producing oil, such as Texas, petrol prices are the cheapest while prices in the states that are furthest from the refineries are the highest. I am not sure how the MyKad can assist in this exercise.
I feel that states such as Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Penang and Johor should not have any subsidies at all. The standard of living in these states is higher compared to that of Kelantan or Perlis.
Maybe users in those states where the per capita income is lower should pay RM1.80 per litre while those in states with higher capital income should pay RM2.10 per litre. This would better improve the distribution of resources.
Even with the current pricing and the use of the MyKad, it won’t be fair and it won’t stop the pilferage. Let’s give this a try. There won’t be any incentive for Singaporeans to drive all the way to Malacca just to get cheaper petrol and driving back to Singapore.
As for those in Kelantan and Perlis, issues such as smuggling will still happen regardless of monthly rationing or with the MyKad.
RAS,
Kuala Lumpur.

Wakaf Tunai Malaysia

Wakaf Tunai Malaysia

Wakaf Tunai Malaysia ialah berwakaf menggunakan wang tunai yang dikumpul di dalam satu tabung amanah di bawah pengurusan nazir yang diamanahkan untuk mengurus wakaf ini (iaitu YWM) bagi tujuan kebajikan amal jariah.
FATWA WAKAF TUNAI
Jawatankuasa Fatwa Majlis Kebangsaan Bagi Hal Ehwal Agama Islam Malaysia kali ke 77 yang bersidang pada 10-12 April 2007 di Kuala Terengganu telah memutuskan bahawa berwakaf dalam bentuk wang tunai adalah dibolehkan dalam Islam
Fatwa Oleh Ulama Terkemuka Zaman Silam
Imam Az-Zuhri, seorang ulama terkenal dalam ilmu hadith (wakaf pada 124 Hijrah), telah memfatwakan bahawa berwakaf dalam bentuk dinar dan dirham dibenarkan bagi tujuan-tujuan berdakwah, kebajikan masyarakat dan pembangunan ummah.
Kejayaan Wakaf Tunai Dalam Sejarah Islam
Empayar Uthmaniyah di Turki mencapai kegemilangan dengan bantuan amalan wakaf tunai yang meluas ketika itu sehingga berjaya meringankan perbelanjaan kerajaan serta menjadi pelengkap (complimentary) kepada usaha-usaha pembangunan dalam penyediaan kemudahan-kemudahan perkhidmatan pendidikan, kesihatan,perbandaran dan seumpamanya kepada masyarakat Turki.
OBJEKTIF WTM
• Menggalakkan amalan sedekah jariah dikalangan umat Islam
• Sebagai alternatif untuk melaksanakan ibadah wakaf
• Melahir dan menzahirkan pembangunan institusi wakaf dengan lebih produktif dan berwibawa
• Penggerak pembangunan sosial dan ekonomi umat Islam
• Meningkatkan pegangan aset umat Islam yang akan digunakan untuk kepentingan agama dan pembangunan ummah
• Meluaskan saluran kebajikan dengan sistematik dan berkesan
• Menyumbang kepada pembangunan harta wakaf dengan skop yang lebih luas, dinamik dan bersepadu
FAEDAH WAKAF TUNAI
Mudah
Melalui kaedah wakaf tunai ini, umat Islam dapat menunaikan ibadah wakaf dengan mudah. Dengan jumlah minima hanya RM 10.00 dan tanpa had maksimum, umat Islam dapat berwakaf mengikut kemampuan berbanding dengan wakaf-wakaf lain seperti tanah, bangunan dan lain-lain yang mempunyai nilai yang tinggi.
Ganjaran Berkekalan
Ganjaran kepada pewakaf sama dengan wakaf lain, iaitu selagi harta kekal yang terkumpul dimanfaatkan, ganjaran kepada pewakaf berkekalan semasa masih hidup atau selepas meninggal dunia.
Berkongsi Manfaat
Manfaat daripada harta kekal yang diperolehi daripada dana wakaf tunai dapat dikongsi di kalangan masyarakat untuk meningkatkan taraf hidup dan sosio-ekonomi umat Islam.
Pengekalan Pemilikan Aset Umat Islam
Pemilikan aset yang diperoleh daripada dana wakaf tunai dikekalkan supaya dapat dimanfaatkan berulang kali.
PELAKSANAAN WAKAF TUNAI MALAYSIA
Penyertaan
Pewakaf mewakafkan wang tunai melalui mewakilkan kepada Yayasa Waqaf Malaysia bagi pihak dirinya atau orang lain (termasuk yang telah meninggal dunia) untuk ditukarkan kepada harta kekal.
Tabung Amanah
Dana kutipan Wakaf Tunai Malaysia di dalam tabung amanah di bawah pengurusan Yayasan Waqaf Malaysia.
Penyaluran Manfaat Wakaf Tunai Malaysia
Dana terkumpul akan ditukar kepada harta kekal supaya menfaatnya kepada masyarakat dapat disalurkan berulang kali.

KELULUSAN KOD KHAS POTONGAN GAJI OLEH JABATAN AKAUNTAN NEGARA
Yayasan Waqaf Malaysia telah memperoleh kod khas potongan gaji bernombor 4474 bagi kakitangan Kerajaan Persekutuan daripada Jabatan Akauntan Negara pada 5 Januari 2009. Kod khas potongan gaji ini akan memudahkan penyertaan warga kakitangan awam ke dalam skim wakaf tunai oleh Yayasan Waqaf Malaysia.Borang penolakan gaji dan Panduan Mengisi Borang boleh dimuat turun DI SINI atau di menu Muat Turun.
Kaedah ini memberi kemudahan kepada pewakaf kerana boleh berwakaf secara berterusan dengan hanya satu kelulusan transaksi untuk jumlah yang ditentukan sendiri.Permohonan kepada pihak berkuasa berkenaan untuk kelulusan potongan gaji bagi sektor swasta akan dilakukan jika perlu.
Yayasan Waqaf Malaysia disyaratkan supaya membuka satu akaun kursus bagi penolakan gaji secara langsung ini supaya mudah untuk tujuan pemantauan dan laporan jika diperlukan.
Buat masa ini, wakaf tunai boleh disalurkan ke akaun
Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad (BIMB) atas nama YAYASAN WAQAF MALAYSIA di no. akaun 16018010019680
atau
Eoncap Islamic Bank Berhad atas nama YAYASAN WAQAF MALAYSIA di no. akaun 0667110005558
atau
Public Islamic Bank Berhad atas nama YAYASAN WAQAF MALAYSIA di no.akaun 3996004900
atau
AmIslamic Bank Berhad atas nama YAYASAN WAQAF MALAYSIA di no.akaun 2342022003053
atau
RHB Islamic Bank Berhad atas nama YAYASAN WAQAF MALAYSIA di no.akaun 21245760001304
Slip Deposit boleh dihantar kepada kami sebagai bukti melalui email/faks/pos atau datang terus ke pejabat kami.

Yayasan Waqaf Malaysia masih didalam proses membuka akaun semasa untuk kutipan wakaf tunai di bank-bank lain.
Wakaf Tunai dan Pembangunan Harta Wakaf
Sumber Pembiayaan Pembangunan
Wakaf Tunai Malaysia ialah instrumen wakaf di peringkat kebangsaan, di mana keutamaan bagi dana yang terkumpul ialah untuk membiayai pembangunan dan usaha memajukan harta-harta wakaf, dan jika berkenaan, menambah harta wakaf baru yang strategik dan berdaya maju. Fokus utama ialah supaya harta-harta wakaf di Malaysia dimanfaatkan untuk kepentingan masyarakat Islam dan sentiasa produktif.
Tiada Pertindihan Tugas dan Bidang
Yayasan Waqaf Malaysia berperanan sebagai agensi pelengkap kepada usaha membangun dan memajukan harta-harta wakaf di mana Majlis-majlis Agama Islam Negeri (MAIN) akan sentiasa terlibat secara aktif. Setelah dimajukan, harta-harta ini akan kembali di bawah pentadbiran MAIN yang berkenaan sebagai pemegang amanah tunggal kepada harta-harta wakaf. Tiada pertindihan tugas atau percanggahan bidang di antara Yayasan Waqaf Malaysia dan MAIN.Penafian
Kerajaan Malaysia dan Yayasan Waqaf Malaysia tidak akan bertanggungjawab atas sebarang kehilangan data atau kerugian yang berlaku disebabkan penggunaan portal ini.
Hak Cipta Terpelihara @ Yayasan Waqaf Malaysia 2009

Wakaf

Wednesday, 13 January 2010 16:26

ISLAM adalah merupakan agama yang syumul, merangkumi segala aspek yang berkaitan dengan kehidupan manusia sejagat. Umat Islam perlu menerima Islam secara keseluruhannya tanpa memilih-milih.
Salah satu dari komponen yang berada di bawah naungan Islam adalah persoalan harta. Islam secara asasnya tidak melarang umatnya dari mendapatkan harta sebanyak mungkin. Namun, dua perkara yang perlu dititikberatkan berkaitan dengan harta adalah:
1. Sumber pengambilan harta
2. Pengurusan dan perbelanjaan harta
Rasulullah SAW menggambarkan betapa pentingnya umat Islam perlu menitikberatkan persoalan ini kerana ia bakal ditanya oleh Allah SWT di akhirat kelak.
Sabda Rasulullah SAW yang bermaksud: Tidak akan terlepas dua kaki anak Adam di akhirat di hadapan Allah SWT, kecuali setelah ditanya lima perkara; Tentang umurnya di mana ia habiskannya, tentang kepemudaan dan kepemudiannya di mana digunakan, dan tentang hartanya dari mana datangnya dan ke mana dibelanjakannya, dan apakah dan apakah yang dilakukan dengan ilmunya". (riwayat At-Tirmidzi)
Islam menganggap harta adalah merupakan pemberian oleh Allah SWT kepada manusia sebagai pinjaman. Justeru, tidak sepatutnya bagi umat Islam menguruskan hartanya sewenang-wenang sehingga membatasi prinsip dan kehendak syariah.
Antara perkara yang menjadi kewajipan kepada umat Islam dalam menguruskan hartanya adalah pembayaran zakat.

Zakat dan Kepentingannya
Perkataan zakat memberi maksud menyuburkan, membersihkan dan memperbaiki. Sebenarnya, melalui kefahaman terhadap maksud sebenar dari perkataan zakat ini sudah memberikan gambaran yang jelas tentang tujuan-tujuan di sebalik pensyariatan zakat ini.
Fungsi utama kepada pensyariatan zakat kepada umat Islam adalah bagi menyucikan dan membersihkan harta.
Ia dijelaskan dalam firman Allah SWT yang bermaksud: Ambillah zakat dari sebahagian harta mereka, dengan zakat itu kamu membersihkan dan mensucikan. (at-Taubah: 103)
Proses pembersihan dan penyucian ini sebenarnya boleh berlaku terhadap dua unsur. Yang pertama, penyucian terhadap jiwa dan hati individu yang membayar zakat. Zakat membersihkan jiwa seorang Muslim yang mengeluarkan zakat dari sifat bakhil, tamak dan sombong. Melalui pembayaran zakat, seorang Muslim dapat menyuburkan rasa kasihan belas terhadap mereka yang memerlukan.
Pada waktu yang sama, ia dapat menghakis sifat pentingkan diri sendiri sehingga mengenepikan kepentingan orang lain untuk menikmati pemberian Allah SWT. Seseorang Muslim sepatutnya mengenali keluarganya, saudara-maranya atau jiran tetangganya supaya bantuan zakat dapat diberikan sekiranya mereka berada dalam kesempitan.
Allah SWT menyukai orang-orang yang tidak meminta-minta dan menyembunyikan keperitan yang dialami dari pengetahuan umum. Firman Allah SWT bermaksud: Dan pada harta-harta mereka ada hak untuk orang-orang yang miskin yang meminta dan orang miskin yang tidak meminta. (az-Zariyaat: 19)
Ini secara tidak langsung akan mengeratkan ukhuwah di kalangan umat Islam. Apabila individu Muslim membayar zakat, maka ia akan membantu kehidupan mereka yang memerlukan.
Sekiranya sistem zakat ini dapat berfungsi dengan baik, akhirnya ia akan merapatkan jurang di antara golongan kaya dan golongan miskin.
Harta yang dikurniakan oleh Allah SWT sebenarnya mempunyai peruntukan untuk golongan yang memerlukan supaya harta tersebut tidak hanya dapat dinikmati oleh golongan yang kaya sahaja.
Firman Allah SWT yang bermaksud: ..... Supaya harta itu jangan beredar di antara orang-orang kaya sahaja di kalangan kamu. (al-Hasyr: 7)
Golongan miskin apabila mendapat pertolongan dan bantuan ini akan berterima kasih kepada golongan yang kaya. Ini dapat mengikis sebarang perasaan negatif seperti iri hati dan dengki dalam hati golongan miskin. Sekali gus, ia boleh menurunkan graf jenayah seperti rompakan, kecurian dan ragut dalam masyarakat Islam hari ini.
Dalam Islam, sebahagian harta yang dimiliki oleh golongan kaya adalah hak orang-orang miskin. Dengan kata lain, apabila pembayaran zakat dilaksanakan, sebenarnya individu tersebut tidak menyumbangkan apa-apa kepada golongan miskin.
Sebaliknya, dia hanya menyerahkan kembali hak golongan miskin tersebut dari hartanya. Oleh itu, golongan kaya tidak perlu merasa megah atau bangga kerana memulangkan sesuatu yang memang sudah menjadi hak kepunyaan orang lain.
Sh. Muhammad Ashraf dalam bukunya Lessons in Islam telah menulis: "Rasulullah SAW telah menggambarkan bahawa zakat sebagai wang yang diambil daripada orang kaya yang dikembalikan kepada orang miskin. Oleh itu, matlamatnya ialah untuk mengagihkan kekayaan masyarakat dengan cara yang membolehkan tidak ada umat Islam yang tinggal dalam kemiskinan (dan penderitaan)". (Doktrin Ekonomi Islam, Afzal-ul-Rahman, terjemahan Zaharah Salleh, jilid III, m/s 185).
Unsur kedua yang dibersihkan daripada pengaplikasian zakat adalah harta. Harta yang digunakan secara tidak sedar mungkin bercampur dengan perkara haram atau syubhat.
Sekiranya ia berlaku, maka harta yang dimiliki oleh individu tersebut akan hilang keberkatannya. Justeru, cara bagi menghakis perkara-perkara seumpama ini, individu Muslim perlu menunaikan zakat. Apabila harta itu mempunyai keberkatan, ia akan dipelihara Allah SWT dan akan sentiasa disuburkan rezeki kepada pemberi zakat.
Pembayaran zakat adalah manifestasi ketaatan terhadap Allah SWT. Tidak dinafikan bahawa setiap individu menyayangi harta yang diusahakannya. Apabila seseorang itu membayar zakat, dia telah akur dan tunduk kepada arahan Allah SWT walaupun dia menyayangi harta tersebut.
Justeru, sebagai imbal balik kepada sumbangan yang telah diberikan, Allah SWT yang Maha Kaya melipatgandakan balasan kepada mereka yang membayar zakat pada jalan Allah SWT.
Firman Allah SWT: Bandingan (derma) orang-orang yang membelanjakan hartanya pada jalan Allah, ialah sama seperti sebiji benih yang tumbuh menerbitkan tujuh tangkai; tiap-tiap tangkai itu pula mengandungi seratus biji dan (ingatlah), Allah akan melipatgandakan pahala bagi sesiapa yang dikehendaki-Nya dan Allah Maha Luas (rahmat) kurnia-Nya, lagi meliputi ilmu pengetahuan-Nya. (al-Baqarah: 261)


Waqf is a private possession or asset in any form that has been put under injunction from any form of transaction including sale, inheritance, hibah (grant) and wasiyyah (will) whilst its physical source (‘ain) remains intact and unchanged.
In Islamic law, endowment ownership is non-permanent since it has been entitled to Allah to benefit all Muslims.
It is a sincere gift in the form of private possession to the state or person of authority for the good of all Muslims so long as the wealth is used in compliance with Islamic requirements.

Waqf property can contribute the development of the socio-economics of ummah like building commercial projects such as hotels, business centers, social projects like orphanage, caring centers and many others so long as it is not in contrast with shari’ah.
Supportive evidence and rewards to giver.

Allah S.W.T said;

"The likeness of those who spend their wealth in Allah’s way is as the likeness of a grain which growth seven branches, in every branch contains of hundred seeds, and (remember) Allah will give increase manifold to which he will and Allah is All Embracing and All Knowing".
(Surah al-Baqarah: verse 261)
Hadith riwayat Muslim ;
عن أبي هريرة رضى الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال ( إذا مات الإنسان انقطع عنه عمله إلا من ثلاثة صدقة جارية أو علم ينتفع به أو ولد صالح يدعو له)
Reported by Muslim from Abu Hurairah r.a that Prophet (P.B.U.H) said; “when a son of Adam dies, so does their deeds except for three things: alms giving, or benefited knowledge, or pious son who pray for them”.

Waqf is divided into 2 types:
• Family Waqf (Waqf Ahli)
Waqf for immediate family members that include children, grand children, etc. Example; "I endowed all of my wealth to my son and grandson and to my entire heritage forever".
• Charitable Wafq (Waqf Khairi)It is designated only for charity. It is divided into:
1. General;
Wealth that can be used (as stated by the giver) for any legal activity that benefits the community. For instance, when a person endowed a piece of land for charity. In this type of endowment, Nazir Waqf (endowment ownership) has to govern the land in any form of development that could provide benefits without any ties to the types of charity or in the form of development itself. While the benefits should be given to the community in any form of charity so that the ownership will continuously gain rewards.
2. Special;
Wealth specified by giver to be used for specific purposes and functions, e.g. land for mosque, school, cemetery, business centers, house, etc.


Jangan Jadi Penghalang Membangun Harta Wakaf

Mukadimah

Perkataan wakaf bukan sesuatu yang asing bagi umat Islam di negara ini. Sejak kecil lagi, kita biasa mendengar kalimah ini.

Wakaf berasal dari perkataan Arab. Ia mempunyai beberapa pengertian. Antaranya: berhenti, menegah dan menahan. Menurut syarak, wakaf boleh dirumuskan sebagai satu ibadat menyerahkan harta bermanfaat yang kita miliki untuk kegunaan umum masyarakat dengan niat sebagai ibadat mendekatkan diri kepada Allah.

Galakan berwakaf ini dapat diperhatikan melalui beberapa firman Allah, antaranya yang bermaksud: Kamu tidak sekali-kali akan dapat mencapai (hakikat) kebajikan dan kebaktian (yang sempurna) sebelum kamu dermakan sebahagian daripada apa yang kamu sayangi. Dan sesuatu apa jua yang kamu dermakan maka sesungguhnya Allah mengetahuinya. (ali-‘Imran: 96)

Wartawan MOHD. RADZI MOHD. ZIN dan jurufoto ABDUL NAZIR MOHAMED menemu bual Ketua Pengarah Jabatan Wakaf, Zakat dan Haji (Jawhar), Datuk Dr. Sohaimi Mohd. Salleh bagi memperincikan isu ini.

MEGA: Apakah potensi ekonomi yang ada dalam sektor wakaf ini?
SOHAIMI: Secara umumnya, wakaf adalah sektor yang amat berpotensi membangunkan ekonomi Islam di seluruh negara. Di negara ini, kita ada kira-kira 10,000 hektar tanah wakaf. Namun yang dibangunkan hanya 0.72 peratus, bakinya masih terbiar.

Jika dibangunkan tanah-tanah wakaf ini boleh meningkatkan peratusan pembangunan umat Islam. Di beberapa negara seperti Singapura, Emiriah Arab Bersatu dan Arab Saudi, tahap pembangunan tanah-tanah wakaf ini sudah terlalu maju. Sehinggakan dana yang ada mencukupi dan mereka sedia melabur di negara Islam luar.

Sebaliknya, kita di Malaysia, ada tanah atau harta tetapi masih jauh ketinggalan. Kita masih berada pada tahap awal membangunkan institusi wakaf.

Apabila sesuatu hartanah dibangunkan sebagaimana diniatkan oleh wakif (pewakaf) maka manfaat daripadanya akan memberi kesan besar yang amat baik kepada keadaan sosio-ekonomi masyarakat di kawasan sekitar wakaf tersebut.

Apakah antara sebab kita ketinggalan berbanding tempat seperti Dubai dan Singapura tadi?
SOHAIMI: Antara sebab utama, kita di Malaysia berasa berada dalam zon selesa. Tidak rasa ada keperluan untuk menunaikan wakaf.

Sedangkan sejarah membuktikan yang wakaf adalah sektor ekonomi yang amat berpotensi untuk dimajukan untuk maslahat umat. Contohnya, wakaf di Universiti al-Azhar. Sehinggakan apabila negara gawat pun boleh meminjam daripada wakaf al-Azhar.

Golongan bukan Islam pun mempunyai endowment (institusi dengan pendapatan tetap) seperti di Harvard yang ada dana kira-kira RM65 bilion. Ini menyebabkan kita rasa teruja dan juga cemburu. Mengapa orang bukan Islam boleh mengumpul dana sebanyak itu sedangkan kita yang Islam ini tidak mampu berbuat demikian.

Kita perlu sedar, hartanah wakaf adalah harta yang telah dipulangbalikkan haknya kepada Allah untuk dimanfaatkan untuk kebaikan umat Islam. Malah, Allah telah menyatakan ganjaran besar kepada mereka yang membelanjakan harta di jalan Allah sama ada berinfak atau berwakaf.

Allah berfirman yang maksud-Nya: Bandingan (derma) orang yang membelanjakan hartanya pada jalan Allah adalah sama seperti sebiji benih yang tumbuh mengeluarkan tujuh tangkai, tiap-tiap satu tangkai pula mengandungi 100 biji dan (ingatlah) Allah akan melipatgandakan pahala bagi sesiapa yang dikehendaki-Nya, dan Allah Maha Luas (rahmat) kurnia-Nya lagi meliputi ilmu pengetahuan-Nya. (al-Baqarah: 261)

Apakah pula peranan masyarakat dalam membantu memajukan tanah wakaf ini?
SOHAIMI: Masyarakat memainkan peranan penting menjayakan usaha ini. Dalam keadaan sekarang, tidak ada lagi orang yang kaya-raya sehingga mempunyai tanah yang berelong-relong banyaknya.

Justeru, Skim Wakaf Tunai telah dilancarkan pada 7 Februari lalu di mana fatwa membenarkan kita berwakaf bukan sahaja dengan harta kekal seperti tanah. Sebaliknya, wakaf dengan wang ringgit pun dibenarkan.

Kesannya amat besar kepada ekonomi umat Islam. Analoginya, kita kini mempunyai kira-kira 16.4 juta penduduk Islam. Kita tolak sebahagian daripada jumlah itu untuk golongan kanak-kanak, golongan tua dan asnaf.

Mengambil kira lapan juta bilangan umat Islam yang bekerja dan jika mereka menyumbang hanya RM1 sebulan maka kita dapat mengumpul RM8 juta sebulan. Kita cuma nak minta mereka sumbangkan selama tiga bulan. Untuk itu kita boleh mencapai RM28 juta.

Skim di bawah Yayasan Wakaf Malaysia ini dilancarkan dengan matlamat dalam masa terdekat mengumpul modal awal bagi membangunkan tanah-tanah wakaf bernilai RM1.9 bilion di seluruh negara.

Jika masyarakat menyumbang menerusi skim ini, insya-Allah kita dapat kumpulan dana wakaf khas supaya pembangunan untuk maslahat umat tidak hanya bergantung kepada pembiayaan kerajaan pusat.

Dengan itu, pelbagai program seperti pembasmian kemiskinan, tabung biaya pendidikan, keusahawanan hatta membimbing golongan asnaf untuk keluar daripada kemiskinan boleh dilakukan. Ini boleh dicapai dengan kerjasama jitu kerajaan dan stake holder termasuklah masyarakat Islam.

Harta yang kita sumbangkan ini pula tidak mati. Pahalanya akan terus mengalir walaupun selepas kita mati kelak. Ingatlah sabda Rasulullah SAW yang bermaksud: Apabila mati anak Adam, putuslah segala amalannya kecuali tiga perkara, sedekah jariah, ilmu yang bermanfaat dan anak soleh yang mendoakannya. (riwayat Muslim)

Masyarakat pula terutama yang mendiami tanah wakaf kena faham bahawa tanah ini tidak sama dengan tanah rezab kerajaan. Oleh itu, jangan boleh meminta pampasan yang keterlaluan atau 'minta gajah atau rimau' apabila sesuatu tanah wakaf itu hendak dibangunkan. Mereka lupa status tanah ini adalah istimewa.

Umat Islam juga kena faham supaya mereka tidak menjadi golongan penentang kepada pembangunan tanah-tanah wakaf di negara kita.

Masalahnya, majoriti umat Islam hanya nampak wakaf ini dalam hal sedekahkan sejadah, telekung, tanah kubur dan derma membina masjid. Bagaimana membetulkan fahaman sebegini?
SOHAIMI: Dalam hal ini, kita tidak boleh letakkan 100 peratus kesalahan kepada masyarakat. Sebabnya, ada di antara mereka yang tidak faham. Sudah sekian lama, wakaf ini sinonim dengan apa yang disebutkan di atas tadi.

Sebab itu, kita mengadakan pelbagai program untuk mendidik masyarakat tentang wakaf. Kita adalah seminar, bengkel dan perbincangan intelek. Semua ini dengan harapan masyarakat faham tuntutan sebenar wakaf.

Pada prinsipnya, wakaf adalah atas paksi agama. Tetapi jangan pula kita lupa perlu ada imbalan. Aspek yang boleh dikomersialkan seperti pembinaan hotel wakaf, kompleks pendidikan, pusat saudara baru dan unit kediaman perlu diberi perhatian.

Kita di Jawhar misalnya sedang mengusahakan ke arah itu. Antaranya pembinaan hotel wakaf di beberapa negeri seperti di Melaka, Kuala Terengganu dan Taiping, Perak.

Begitu juga dengan ruang niaga dan pusat dialisis di Batu Pahat, Johor dan rumah kedai Mukim Utan Aji di Kangar, Perlis.

Soal perbezaan ideologi politik boleh mengganggu kelicinan proses skim wakaf tunai. Apakah penyelesaian dalam hal ini?
SOHAIMI: Kita kena ada semangat hijrah dari segi perbuatan dan pemikiran. Ketepikan soal perbezaan ideologi dan letakkan agama di kedudukan paling atas.

Agama jangan dipolitikkan, begitu juga dengan wakaf sebab ia untuk kepentingan dan maslahat umat. Kalau kita tidak berani mengubah manhaj nescaya kita tidak akan berubah walaupun negara sudah merdeka 52 tahun.

Wakaf di al-Azhar misalnya sudah mengembangkan sayap kepada ladang kapas. Seterusnya membuka peluang pekerjaan kepada rakyat tempatan. Ini adalah contoh kesan limpahan hasil dana wakaf itu tadi.

Jangan pula kita bimbang jika ramai menyumbang kepada Skim Wakaf Tunai ini, program wakaf yang dianjurkan oleh kita atau parti politik kita akan terjejas.

Saya percaya Malaysia mempunyai orang kaya yang sudah mencapai tahap duit bukan masalah. Yang mereka mahu ialah kepuasan dalam berinfak. Untuk itu, kita akan melipat gandakan usaha menunjukkan bukti kepada masyarakat apa yang boleh dilakukan dengan mempunyai dana wakaf yang kukuh.

Pada masa yang sama, kita juga akan mendekati syarikat berkaitan kerajaan (GLC) serta pihak swasta. Ini bertujuan memberi kesedaran bahawa mereka juga boleh berperanan menyumbang kepada institusi wakaf.


Tarikh : 14/4/2009
Sumber : Utusan Online
Editor :Mohd Gunawan
Last Updated on Monday, 23 November 2009 15:15

Wakaf Untuk Kesejahteraan Umat

Wakaf Untuk Kesejahteraan Umat
Kamis, 28 Mei 2009 14:53 WIB
Uswatun Hasanah

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Wakaf adalah bagian hukum Islam yang mendapat pengaturan secara khusus dalam peraturan perundang-undangan di Indonesia. Dengan demikian, wakaf merupakan salah satu lembaga hukum Islam yang telah menjadi hukum positif di Indonesia.

Sebagai suatu lembaga keagamaan, di samping berfungsi sebagai ibadah kepada Allah, wakaf juga berfungsi sosial. Dalam fungsinya sebagai ibadah, wakaf diharapkan menjadi bekal bagi kehidupan wakif (pemberi wakaf) di hari akhirat karena pahalanya akan terus menerus mengalir selama harta wakaf itu dimanfaatkan.

Adapun dalam fungsi sosialnya, wakaf merupakan aset yang sangat bernilai dalam pembangunan. Peranannya dalam pemerataan kesejahteraan di kalangan umat dan penanggulangan kemiskinan merupakan salah satu sasaran wakaf.

Dengan demikian, jika wakaf dikelola dengan baik maka akan sangat menunjang pembangunan, baik di bidang ekonomi, agama, sosial, budaya, politik maupun pertahanan keamanan. Di berbagai negara yang perwakafannya sudah berkembang dengan baik, wakaf merupakan salah satu pilar ekonomi yang dapat dipergunakan untuk meningkatkan kesejahteraan masyarakat.

Negara yang sangat berpengalaman dalam mengembangkan wakaf, antara lain Mesir dan Turki. Wakaf di Mesir dikelola oleh Badan Wakaf Mesir yang berada di bawah Wizaratul Auqaf. Salah satu di antara kemajuan yang telah dicapai oleh Badan Wakaf Mesir adalah berperannya harta wakaf dalam meningkatkan ekonomi masyarakat.

Pengelolaannya dilakukan dengan cara menginvestasikan harta wakaf di bank Islam dan berbagai perusahaan, seperti perusahaan besi dan baja. Dengan dikembangkannya wakaf secara produktif, wakaf di Mesir dapat dijadikan salah satu lembaga yang diandalkan pemerintah untuk mewujudkan kesejahteraan umat.

Di samping Mesir, masih ada beberapa negara yang mengelola wakaf secara produktif, salah satunya adalah Turki. Di Turki, wakaf dikelola oleh Direktorat Jenderal Wakaf.

Dalam mengembangkan wakaf, pengelola melakukan investasi di berbagai perusahaan, antara lain: Ayvalik and Aydem Olive Oil Corporation; Tasdelen Healthy Water Corporation; Auqaf Guraba Hospital; Taksim Hotel (Sheraton); Turkish Is Bank; Aydin Textile Industry; Black Sea Copper Industry; Contruction and Export/Import Corporation; Turkish Auqaf Bank.

Hasil pengelolaan wakaf itu kemudian dimanfaatkan untuk kepentingan pendidikan, kesehatan, pemberdayaan ekonomi rakyat, dan kepentingan sosial lainnya.

Solusi Pengentasan Kemiskinan

Sementara di Indonesia, saat ini kemiskinan dan pengangguran masih menjadi masalah yang belum terselesaikan. Walaupun pemerintah telah menerapkan berbagai kebijakan, namun kebijakan pemerintah itu belum mampu mengentaskan kemiskinan.
Kemiskinan merupakan persoalan yang menakutkan, yang dapat merajalela dan berpengaruh kepada sistem kehidupan yang lebih makro, sehingga tidak ada jalan lain kecuali harus dilenyapkan.

Kemiskinan yang terjadi dalam masyarakat sebenarnya tidak sepenuhnya menjadi tanggung jawab pemerintah, tetapi merupakan tanggungjawab bersama antara pemerintah dan masyarakat. Untuk menghadapi masalah kemiskinan tersebut, sebenarnya dalam Islam ada beberapa lembaga yang potensial untuk dikembangkan untuk mengatasi kemiskinan, salah satu di antaranya adalah wakaf.

Untuk menghadapi masalah kemiskinan tersebut, sebagaimana pengalaman Mesir dan Turki sudah seharusnya kita mengembangkan wakaf produktif.

Sudah selayaknya bangsa Indonesia umumnya dan umat Islam khususnya menyambut baik kehadiran Undang-Undang Nomor 41 Tahun 2004 tentang Wakaf karena Benda wakaf yang diatur dalam undang-undang tentang wakaf ini tidak dibatasi benda tidak bergerak saja, melainkan juga benda-benda bergerak lainnya yang tidak bertentangan dengan syariat Islam termasuk wakaf uang dan surat berharga.

Pertanyaannya, mengapa wakaf yang sudah dipraktikkan di Indonesia sejak masuknya Islam di tanah air, sampai saat ini belum dapat meningkatkan kesejahteraan umat, sementara jumlah tanah wakaf di Indonesia sangat banyak dan luas? Masalah berikutnya adalah bagaimana cara mengembangkan harta wakaf tersebut?

Menurut penulis, ada beberapa faktor yang menyebabkan wakaf di Indonesia belum berperan dalam memberdayakan ekonomi umat.

Pertama, masalah pemahaman masyarakat tentang hukum wakaf. Pada umumnya masyarakat belum memahami hukum wakaf dengan baik dan benar, baik dari segi rukun dan syarat wakaf, maupun maksud disyariatkannya wakaf.

Kedua, pengelolaan dan manajemen wakaf. Saat ini pengelolaan dan manajemen wakaf di Indonesia masih memprihatinkan. Sebagai akibatnya cukup banyak harta wakaf terlantar dalam pengelolaannya, bahkan ada harta wakaf yang hilang. Salah satu penyebabnya adalah pengelolaannya yang tidak profesional.

Ketiga, benda yang diwakafkan. Pada umumnya tanah yang diwakafkan umat Islam di Indonesia hanyalah cukup untuk membangun masjid atau mushalla, sehingga sulit untuk dikembangkan. Di Indonesia masih sedikit orang yang mewakafkan harta selain tanah (benda tidak bergerak), padahal dalam fikih harta yang boleh diwakafkan sangat beragam termasuk surat berharga dan uang.

Keempat, nazir wakaf. Dalam perwakafan, salah satu unsur yang amat penting adalah nazir. Nazir adalah orang yang diserahi tugas untuk mengurus, mengelola, dan memelihara harta benda wakaf. Berfungsi atau tidaknya wakaf sangat tergantung pada kemampuan nazir. Di berbagai negara yang wakafnya dapat berkembang dan berfungsi untuk memberdayakan ekonomi umat, wakaf dikelola oleh nazir yang profesional.

Untuk mengembangkan wakaf produktif di Indonesia pada saat ini sudah tidak ada masalah lagi, karena dalam Undang-Undang Nomor 41 Tahun 2004 tentang Wakaf dan Peraturan Pemerintah Nomor 42 Tahun 2006 tentang Pelaksanaan Undang-undang Nomor 41 Tahun 2004 sudah diatur mengenai berbagai hal yang memungkinkan wakaf dikelola secara produktif.

Wakaf Uang

Wakaf uang penting sekali dikembangkan di negara-negara yang kondisi perekonomiannya yang kurang baik, karena berdasarkan pengalaman di berbagai negara hasil investasi wakaf uang dapat dipergunakan untuk menyelesaikan masalah-masalah sosial yang terjadi di negara yang bersangkutan. Oleh karena itu dalam Undang-Undang Nomor 41 Tahun 2004 Pasal 16 ayat (1) disebutkan bahwa harta benda wakaf terdiri atas benda tidak bergerak dan benda bergerak.

Adapun pada ayat (3) Pasal yang sama disebutkan bahwa benda bergerak sebagaimana dimaksud pada ayat (1) huruf b adalah harta benda yang tidak bisa habis karena dikonsumsi, meliputi uang, logam mulia, surat berharga, kendaraan, hak atas kekayaan intelektual, hak sewa dan benda bergerak lain sesuai dengan ketentuan syari'ah dan peraturan perundang-undangan yang berlaku.

Masyarakat sering bertanya, sebenarnya apa yang dimaksud dengan wakaf uang? Wakaf uang atau kadang disebut dengan wakaf tunai adalah wakaf berupa uang dalam bentuk rupiah yang dapat dikelola secara produktif, hasilnya dimanfaatkan untuk mauquf `alaih (penerima wakaf).

Menurut M.A. Mannan, wakaf uang dapat berperan sebagai suplemen bagi pendanaan berbagai macam proyek investasi sosial yang dikelola oleh bank-bank Islam, sehingga dapat berubah menjadi bank wakaf.

Adapun sasaran pemanfaatan dana hasil pengelolaan wakaf uang yang dikelola oleh (Social Invesment Banking Limited) SIBL yang dipimpin Prof. Mannan antara lain adalah untuk peningkatan standar hidup orang miskin, rehabilitasi orang cacat, peningkatan standar hidup penduduk hunian kumuh, membantu pendidikan anak yatim piatu, beasiswa, akademi dan universitas, mendanai riset, mendirikan rumah sakit, menyelesaikan masalah-masalah sosial non-muslim, dan membantu proyek-proyek untuk penciptaan lapangan kerja yang penting untuk menghapus kemiskinan sesuai dengan syariat Islam.

Dalam Pasal 28 Undang-Undang tentang Wakaf disebutkan bahwa wakif dapat mewakafkan benda bergerak berupa uang melalui lembaga keuangan syariah yang ditunjuk oleh Menteri.

Pada saat ini sudah ada lima Bank Syariah yang ditunjuk oleh Menteri Agama RI sebagai Lembaga Keuangan Syariah Penerima Wakaf Uang, yakni PT. Bank Negara Indonesia (PERSERO) Tbk. Divisi Syariah; PT. Bank Muamalat Indonesia Tbk.; PT. Bank DKI Jakarta; PT. Bank Syariah Mandiri; dan PT. Bank Mega Syariah Indonesia.

Potensi Indonesia

Wakaf uang penting sekali untuk dikembangkan di Indonesia di saat kondisi perekonomian kian memburuk. Dalam masalah ini, Mustafa Edwin Nasution pernah melakukan asumsi bahwa jumlah penduduk Muslim kelas menengah di Indonesia sebanyak 10 juta jiwa dengan rata-rata penghasilan per bulan antara 500.000 sampai 10.000.000, maka wakaf yang terkumpul selama satu tahun sejumlah 3 triliun rupiah.

Masalahnya, uang tersebut tidak dapat langsung diberikan kepada mauquf `alaih, tetapi nazir harus mengelola dan mengembangkannya terlebih dahulu. Oleh karena itu menurut saya, nazir selain memenuhi syarat-syarat yang disebutkan dalam Pasal 10 ayat (1) Undang-undang tentang Wakaf, juga harus memiliki berbagai kemampuan yang yang menunjang tugasnya sebagai nazir wakaf produktif.

Untuk meningkatkan kualitas nazir tersebut, maka pembinaan terhadap mereka perlu segera dilakukan. Untuk itu di dalam Undang-Undang 41 Tahun 2004 tentang Wakaf diamanatkan perlunya dibentuk Badan Wakaf Indonesia.

Dalam Pasal 47 ayat (1) Undang-Undang Tentang Wakaf disebutkan bahwa dalam rangka memajukan dan mengembangkan perwakafan nasional, dibentuk Badan Wakaf Indonesia (BWI).

Dalam Pasal 47 ayat (2) Undang-Undang No. 41 Tahun 2004 Tentang Wakaf disebutkan bahwa BWI merupakan lembaga independen dalam melaksanakan tugasnya. Adapun tugas dan wewenang BWI disebutkan dalam Pasal 49 ayat (1).

Dalam Pasal tersebut dinyatakan bahwa BWI mempunyai beberapa tugas dan wewenang, antara lain melakukan pembinaan terhadap nazir dalam mengelola dan mengembangkan harta wakaf, lalu melakukan pengelolaan dan pengembangan harta benda wakaf berskala nasional dan internasional.

Sehubungan dengan tugas dan wewenangnya tersebut BWI merumuskan visi, yaitu terwujudnya lembaga independen yang dipercaya masyarakat, mempunyai kemampuan dan integritas untuk mengembangkan perwakafan nasional dan internasional. Adapun misinya adalah menjadikan BWI sebagai lembaga profesional yang mampu mewujudkan potensi dan manfaat ekonomi harta benda untuk kepentingan ibadah dan kesejahteraan umum.

Untuk merealisasikan visi dan misi tersebut, BWI telah merumuskan beberapa strategi sebagaimana tertulis dalam naskah, dan untuk merealisasikan visi, misi, dan strategi yang sudah ada, BWI mempunyai lima divisi, yaitu Divisi Pembinaan Nazhir, Divisi Pengelolaan dan Pengembangan Harta Benda Wakaf, Divisi Kelembagaan, Divisi Hubungan Masyarakat dan Divisi Penelitian dan Pengembangan.

Diharapkan dengan strategi dan program-program kerja divisi-divisi yang ada, BWI dapat melaksanakan tugas dan fungsinya dengan baik. Untuk merealisasikan program-program tersebut, tidaklah mudah. Oleh karena di samping memerlukan biaya yang cukup besar, sumberdaya yang memadai, juga diperlukan peraturan untuk menjalankannya.

Sebagai contoh kasus, dalam menerapkan wakaf uang. Meskipun beberapa bank yang ditunjuk Menteri Agama sebagai LKS Penerima Wakaf Uang sudah siap untuk mengaplikasikannya, tetapi sampai saat ini belum dapat bekerja secara optimal karena Peraturan Menteri Agama tentang Administrasi Pendaftaran Wakaf Uang seperti diamanatkan dalam Peraturan Pemerintah Nomor 42 tahun 2006 masih dalam proses.

Untuk mengelola wakaf uang, BWI telah mengeluarkan Peraturan tentang Pedoman Pengelolaan dan Pengembangan Harta Benda Wakaf Bergerak Berupa Uang (Peraturan BWI No. 1 dan 2 tahun 2009). Dengan Peraturan BWI tersebut diharapkan nazir wakaf uang yang selama ini sudah ada, dapat mengaplikasikannya sesuai dengan peraturan yang ada.

Penulis yakin dengan pembinaan nazhir yang akan dilakukan BWI, di masa yang akan datang, Indonesia akan memiliki nazir-nazir yang profesional, yang mampu mengelola wakaf secara produktif berdasarkan peraturan perundang-undangan yang ada. Dengan demikian, hasil pengembangan wakaf yang dikelolanya dapat digunakan untuk mewujudkan kesejahteraan sosial.

Meskipun demikian, harus kita sadari bersama bahwa berhasilnya pengelolaan dan pengembangan wakaf di Indonesia tidak hanya ditentukan oleh kemampuan nazir, tetapi juga sangat tergantung pada komitmen bersama antara nazir, masyarakat khususnya umat Islam, BWI dan pemerintah. Wallahu a'lam. (*)

** Penulis adalah Ketua Litbang Badan Wakaf Indonesia dan Guru Besar Hukum Islam FHUI.
COPYRIGHT © 2009

Missionary schools model for 1 Malaysia, says PM

Missionary schools model for 1 Malaysia, says PM
By Neville Spykerman

KUALA LUMPUR, June 27 — A visit to his Christian alma mater was used today by Datuk Seri Najib Razak to drive home his vision of 1 Malaysia which was officially launched at Dataran Merdeka earlier this morning.
The prime minister, who officiated the opening of the Conference of Christian Mission Schools in Malaysia at the St John’s Institution here, paid tribute to mission schools and their role in nation building.
He said mission schools had a special ethos which promote unity, very much like his vision of 1 Malaysia.
“The ethos of mission schools shaped the values and beliefs of students which is in line with 1 Malaysia.”
He said that part and parcel of the concept of 1 Malaysia was to accept diversity and a plural society as a heritage and strength instead of a source of problems.
“1 Malaysia goes beyond tolerance but accepts diversity,” he said, adding that it would be achieved if Malaysians could look beyond race, colour and religions.
“I am convinced it we continue on this path Malaysia can be stronger.”
Najib said that St John's had provided him the sound grounding which eventually made him the prime minister of Malaysia.
He said that returning to the school had brought back special memories, including the times he walked up the hill (Jalan Bukit Nanas) to the school with his heavy bag and playing pranks with his friends.
He also joked that his father gave him a promotion, enrolling him straight into Standard Two at St John’s Primary School, where he spent five years, and a further three years at St John’s Secondary.
He paid tribute to the former and present teachers of the school and even called out to a La Salle Christian Brother in the crowd, who was his former teacher.
Najib also took the occasion to have a swipe at Victoria Institution, the traditional rivals of St John’s.
“We are even better than the ‘other school’ in KL,” he joked.
He closed his speech with a special announcement, saying that he would officially declare his old school a National Heritage Site on July 12.

Victoria Institution contoh sekolah satu aliran

Victoria Institution contoh sekolah satu aliran
November 5, 2009 by jebatmustdie

GAGASAN 1Malaysia tidak mungkin terlaksana tanpa penubuhan sekolah satu aliran. Bagaimana mungkin ia terjadi jika 12 tahun kanak-kanak berada di satu tempat iaitu: 1tahun di peringkat prasekolah, 6 tahun sekolah rendah dan kemudian 5 tahun di sekolah menengah.
Bayangkanlah betapa akrabnya hubungan antara kaum jika sejak berumur 6 tahun mereka dapat bergaul mesra sehingga tingkatan 5 ketika mereka berumur 18 tahun.
Inilah ramuan atau formula paling mujarab untuk membentuk bangsa Malaysia tanpa mengira kaum dan agama.
Pemimpin-pemimpin politik yang mewakili tiga kaum terbesar di negara ini iaitu Melayu, Cina dan India mestilah jujur dan komited mahu benar-benar melahirkan bangsa Malaysia yang bersatu padu.
Janganlah hanya mementingkan kaum masing-masing tanpa mengutamakan kepentingan negara. Kita amat kecewa apabila anak-anak pergi ke sekolah yang berbeza, ibu bapa dan guru juga terpisah mengikut kaum kerana memilih sekolah yang berbeza atas kepentingan kaum masing-masing.
Sebenarnya model Sekolah Wawasan yang pernah dicadangkan oleh mantan Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad adalah model sekolah satu aliran yang paling praktikal.
Sebenarnya orang Cina dan India pun amat berminat dengan sekolah satu aliran ini tetapi para pendidik di kalangan kaum-kaum tersebut yang mempunyai sentimen perkauman yang amat menebal yang menentang idea yang baik ini.
Lihat sahaja Sekolah Victoria Institution (sekolah VI) yang merupakan contoh terbaik Sekolah Satu Aliran di negara ini.
Lihat sahaja semua ibu bapa dari kaum Melayu, Cina dan India berlumba-lumba mahu menghantar anak-anak mereka belajar di sekolah itu.
Lihat sahaja bagaimana mesranya pelajar-pelajar dari ketiga-tiga kaum bergaul mesra dan bersaing secara sihat dalam pelajaran.
Guru-guru, staf juga mempunyai komposisi ketiga-tiga kaum ini. Begitu juga dengan Persatuan Ibu Bapa dan Guru juga diwakili oleh ketiga-tiga kaum.
Lihat sahaja betapa seronoknya pelajar bergaul mesra semasa bersukan dan apa juga kokurikulum yang lain.
Sekolah VI ini juga cemerlang dalam akademik. Mengapa semua ibu bapa dari kaum Melayu, Cina dan India amat berminat dengan sekolah VI ini sedangkan ia adalah model sekolah satu aliran?
Kerajaan terutamanya Menteri Pelajaran wajar mengkaji model sekolah VI ini dan menjadikannya sebagai asas atau model untuk membentuk sekolah satu aliran di negara ini.
Setakat ini sekolah VI amat popular dan menjadi rebutan pelajar serta ibu bapa daripada semua kaum.
Mengapa sekolah VI sebagai sekolah satu aliran begitu berjaya dan dan mendapat sokongan semua kaum ?

SEKOLAH SATU ALIRAN
Kuala Lumpur
Saya bersetuju dengan pendapat dari pembaca di atas. Mengapa kita harus menidakkan para pelajar kita untuk bergaul dengan pelbagai kaum? Saya juga berpendapat, sistem sekolah satu aliran perlu diterapkan kepada lapisan sekolah rendah dahulu. Ini penting kerana di usia begitulah mereka akan lebih mudah merasa selesa dengan kawan-kawan dari pelbagai warna kulit. Contoh sekolah rendah kebangsaan yang bermutu tinggi sewaktu ketika dahulu adalah Sekolah Rendah Sultan Hishamuddin berdekatan dengan Bank Negara dan juga Sekolah Rendah St. John di Bukit Nanas.
Untuk membentuk Orang Malaysia yang cintakan negara dan rakyatnya, mereka perlulah bergaul antara satu sama lain dahulu, lebih lebih lagi dari kecil lagi.
Kita mendengar banyak keluhan dan kritikan serta cemuhan dari mereka yang menentang sekolah satu aliran di mana mutu pendidikan yang tidak bagus menyebabkan perlu wujudnya sekolah vernakular.
Ini mudah diatasi dengan membuat kajian menyeluruh terhadap sistem pelajaran kita sebagaimana yang telah dibuat lebih 50 tahun dahulu. Laporan dari penyelidik bebas mampu membuahkan cadangan-cadangan bernas yang boleh menyelesaikan masalah yang dihadapi di dalam sekolah kebangsaan rendah dan menengah.
Jika mereka mengatakan bahawa mereka perlu mengekalkan budaya kaum masing-masing, hujah ini tidak masuk akal kerana kaum-kaum mereka di negara-negara lain tidak sedikit pun belajar di sekolah-sekolah vernakular malah, ada sekolah-sekolah vernakular di negara tersebut dilarang penubuhannya. Yang ada, cuma sekolah kebangsaan di negara masing-masing. Rakyat mereka belajar mengenai satu sama lain dengan lebih dekat dengan cara begini.
Ada yang menjadi negara maju kelas pertama tanpa wujudnya sekolah vernakular di negara tersebut. Oleh itu, apa sebabnya mahu diteruskan juga sekolah vernakular di negara Malaysia ini?
Mungkin juga negara ini tidak jadi maju kerana wujudnya sekolah vernakular? Manakan tidak? Apabila para pelajar tidak dapat duduk semeja dan mengenali satu sama lain, mana mungkin mereka dapat mentadbir negara ini dengan baik apabila mereka memerintah negara ini apabila dewasa kelak? Adakah kita akan menjadi maju jika ditunggangi oleh permasalahan sebegini?
Ini akan menjadi lebih kronik di dalam masa 10 tahun akan datang apabila para pelajar sekarang menjadi pemimpin muda di dalam parti politik masing-masing.
Mereka yang ingin menegakkan sekolah vernakular hanyalah mereka yang muflis idea dan masih berfikiran di tampuk lama. Ironisnya, kebanyakkan mereka yang menyokong sekolah vernakular, tidak pernah pula belajar di sekolah tersebut. Ini terjadi kerana mereka ini penyokong tegar puak pembangkang.
Hanya kerana membenci kerajaan, mereka menentang semangat harmoni yang akan terbit dari sekolah satu aliran. Orang jenis apakah ini? Ya, orang yang tiada sifat malu dan tiada pendapat bernas untuk melahirkan Orang Malaysia yang bersatu padu dan harmonis.
Mereka hanya mahu mencipta api kebencian supaya rakan-rakan mereka dapat memegang kuasa. Barulah puas hati mereka.
Yang menjadi mangsa adalah – impian untuk melihat rakyat yang mendokong ke arah Rukunegara dan Perlembagaan Malaysia.
Adalah penting agar kajian terperinci dilakukan untuk meningkatkan mutu pembelajaran di dalam sekolah kebangsaan. Ini perlu dilakukan segera.
Akta Pendidikan 1996 juga perlu digubal secepat mungkin. Jika Menteri Dalam Negeri, Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein mampu menggubal semula akta yang penting seperti Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri, nescaya Timbalan Perdana Menteri yang juga Menteri Pelajaran Malaysia terlebih mampu untuk mengembleng tenaga menggubal Akta Pendidikan kita yang berkecamuk itu.
Jika Menteri Pelajaran malas untuk pening kepala mendokong aspirasi Orang Malaysia untuk melihat anak-anak mudanya bersekolah di dalam sistem satu aliran, maka serahkanlah jawatan tersebut kepada orang lain yang lebih kuat jatidirinya.
Masa untuk duduk bersimpuh, tertunduk malu seperti anak dara di dalam Kabinet sudah berakhir. Inilah masa untuk tunjukkan sifat kepimpinan yang sebenar! Terima kasih.

Education Dept: report students who don’t wear helmets”.

Dear editor,

Appreciate if you can publish this write ups

I am frustrated and wish to add on the recent article “Education Dept: report students who don’t wear helmets”.

This story hv been discussed / complaint by the public for many years now. Its attitude problem and it’s reflect on most of Malaysian population be it the adult or the young folks. We hv a culture / behavior of “tidak apa” NO policemen or when authority is not around attitude. As for the school admins, they hv done their level best to tackle discipline or indiscipline issues in schools. But when this happens outside the school jurisdiction, they are no added incentives for everyone to resolve this issue. It can be from non responsive law enforcement attitudes or the fear of retaliation / revenge. I can vouch in my area, where students after school or even in the morning when they are going to school, rides without helmets, smoking, speeding at traffic junctions or going through a red light and I’m sure riding with no license. This also happen in an area where uniform personnel are living. It has become a normal day routine for both the uniform personnel to pass by each other without any enforcement. This flouting of the law is replicated in many areas in urban KL, what more in rural areas? I pity the governments NKRA effort as we know this secondary student will eventually become the future citizens of the country. If at a young age they are not educated in the “laws”, we should not blame if our youth population is having a serious attitude issues when they grow up.

Ras
Setiawangsa

GST

Dear editor,

Appreciate if you can publish this proposal

It’s good that the public are having discussion on GST, subsidized goods, the missing foreigners, the petrol pricing and the use of MyKad to assist in differentiating between the subsidized / unsubsidized user.

Actually, I’m a bit pessimistic in most of the current inflation related issues. I’m worried of the flip flop repercussion of any decision. As in the past we hv seen, government decision made and later we saw the change of mind of such critical decision due to public empathy. I would like to propose on petrol pricing for one. I’m sure many Malaysian understand the disadvantages of subsidized mentality in the economic sense. As we are going into a high income economy, subsidizing of essentials must be kept to a minimum and these saved resources should be allocated to this new economic spending area such as in R&D, biomedicine, branding etc... Lets take for example how in the USA, petrol prices are charged at the pump? States that are producing oil such as in Texas, the prices are cheapest. And states that are further from the refineries are the most expensive.
I’m not sure how MyKad can assist in these prices? As you know, states such as wilayah, selangor, Penang n Johor should not hv any subsidies at all. Their cost of living is higher compared to Kelantan or Perils. Maybe all of the users pay the minimum at RM1.80 / liter for low income per capita states. And those state with higher capital income, all the road users pay at a maximum of RM2.10 / liter. This would better improve the current distribution of capital resources. Even with the current pricing and MyKad usage, I doubt it will be fair and stop pilferages? Let’s, give this formula a try. There won’t be any incentives for Singaporean to travel all the way to Melaka just to get a cheaper petrol price for by the time they travel back to Singapore their petrol tanks are back to square one. And for those users in kelantan and perlis, issues such as smuggling to the border will still happen irregardless of monthly rationing or with MyKad. Beside this formula, the normal enforcement processes should be seen to take place.

Ras
Setiawangsa